Black Hunger: Soul Food And America

(Paperback)

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Description

Highlighting the importance of food for men as well as women, Doris Witt traces the promotion of soul food. A discussion of cookbook author Vertamae Grosvenor, who distanced herself from the myth of plantation mammy by reimagining soul food as "vibrant cooking," sets the stage for Witt's concluding argument that the bodies and appetites of African American women should be viewed as central to contemporary conversations about eating disorders and reproductive rights.

Reviews

"What emerges from this deeply critical, at times humorous, foray into African American food history is a theoretical work as sensuous as the subject matter. Witt takes the reader on a journey through popular food discourses and along the way unpacks the signifiers of belonging, resistance, abjection, purity, and lust. Reading Black Hunger, I was reminded that food is not simply good to eat, it is also good to think with."American Anthropologist

"A fascinating look at foods role in African-American culture."Chicago Sun-Times

"A well-researched and insightful discussion of the creation of mythology about black women and food."Womens Review of Books

"The work is an impressive collection of cultural artifacts that allow a reader to understand the political implications of purchasing a bottle of Aunt Jemima syrup, or the gender-specific implications that adopting a vegetarian diet may hold for African American women."MultiCultural Review

Author Bio

Doris Witt is associate professor of English at the University of Iowa.